Wednesday, December 8, 2010

I keep my enormous Le Creuset pot in the basement, because I don't have room for it in my kitchen. It had collected quite a bit of dust, just sitting there all spring & summer. This is my first cold weather recipe this winter & it couldn't have been more perfect. With this delicious curry, there is no need to order Indian takeout. In fact, it's probably the best chicken curry I've ever tasted...amazing!I found it in the top-rated section of Epicurious. If you are ever struggling to come up with something to make for dinner, or a party, that's the place to look! How could you go wrong with something rated by 550 people? This four star recipe is just another confirmation of that fact. You won't be sorry you made it & if you love it as much as I did, it will go into your regular recipe rotation.The Bozos even loved it! It took some convincing to get my 8 year old to give it a taste. But, afterwards, he called his little brother into the kitchen, saying, "You have to try this!! It looks really gross, but it's really good!" He's right. It does look a bit less than appealing, given the muddy color the curry powder gives the dish. But, don't let that deter you.Begin by finely chopping 2 cups of onions, 2 cloves of garlic & 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger.Next, cut a 3-4 pound whole chicken into 8 serving pieces. For mine, I removed the skin {this is optional. we don't eat it & this just made things easier} & the wings. I cut each breast in half, making 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks & 4 pieces of chicken breast. You can do all this yourself, or save yourself the trouble, by asking your butcher to do this for you.Heat 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large dutch oven, or similar heavy bottomed pot. Add the onions, garlic & ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.Add 3 tablespoons of curry powder {I love Penzey's sweet curry}, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin & 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper {or, to taste}. Cook, stirring, to insure the spices do not stick to the bottom of the pot, for 2 minutes. Add in the chicken & toss to coat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 {14.5 ounce} can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes & a 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot & cook for 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender & cooked through.Note: It may seem as though there isn't enough liquid in the pot to cook the chicken that long. But, once everything starts breaking down & the chicken releases its liquid, it ends up being perfect!Meanwhile, pulse 4 ounces of cashews in a spice grinder, or food processor, until finely ground. Add to the curry, at the end of cooking time, along with 7 ounces of plain greek yogurt. Stir & simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Transfer to a serving dish & garnish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Serve with some basmati, or jasmine rice.

Chicken Cashew Curry

Adapted {barely} from Gourmet magazine, January 2005 {Originally from the Complete Asian Cookbook, byCharmaine Solomon}Serve 4-6In this recipe, cashews are ground into a powder & added at the end to thicken the sauce. They add an amazing nutty flavor. You can use raw, or roasted cashews...just be sure they are unsalted. If you would prefer to use salted cashews, just be sure to reduce the salt in the recipe.I used a whole chicken, removed the skin & wings {optional}, then cut the breasts in half, making 8 pieces.If you prefer, cubed chicken breast can also be used in this recipe.

Melt the butter, over medium heat, in a dutch oven, or similar heavy bottomed pot. Add the onions, garlic & ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the curry, salt, cumin & cayenne. Cook, stirring, to insure the spices do not stick to the bottom of the pot, for 2 minutes. Add in the chicken & toss to coat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes & cilantro. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot & cook for 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender & cooked through.Meanwhile, pulse the cashews in a spice grinder, or food processor, until finely ground. Add to the curry, at the end of cooking time, along with the yogurt. Stir & simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Transfer to a serving dish & garnish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Serve with some basmati, or jasmine rice.To make ahead: Curry can be made up to 5 days in advance, refrigerated, until ready to use. Reheat over low heat & add the ground cashews & yogurt right before serving.Click here for the printable recipe.

Oh my gosh, this post is out of this world! That first photo is just beautiful! I love curry so much - one of my favourites - but I don't make chicken curry nearly enough. Love the addition of yoghurt here to make it super creamy. Yum!

Hi Katie,So I made this today. Figured the kids wouldn't go near it so specifically timed it so that I'd have leftovers for them. Well, Kai had two helpings, and Kiera had THREE!! By the way, it was awesome even before adding the last two ingredients. Only complaint from Greg was not enough leftovers! xo

Oh My Goodness! This may just be the BEST thing I have ever eaten! I found your blog yesterday through Pinterest, and am so very very happy about that! Thank you for sharing the recipe :)Again, it was fabulous!

Hi Angela - I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. I have to say I agree with you ;) I've made many curry dishes in my life, but this one is probably the best I've ever tried.I'm also happy you found my blog! Welcome!- Katie

Hi, I made this last night and it was wonderful. It's going into the rotation. I did use nonfat yogurt, but will get the whole fat version for the next time I make it. I loved your photos and walk-through the recipe. I'm going to check back with your blog to see what else you're cooking. - Robyn (can't get live journal to work!)

LOVE this recipe... used it for our Easter lunch...I only did a couple of things differently...I substituted fresh parsley instead of cilantro and marinated the chicken overnight in a mixture of grated onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies, yogurt and salt. It turned out great and my entire family enjoyed it thoroughly!